Moment of Truth
by CN Winters
Summary: Gabrielle must do something, ANYTHING, to prevent Xena from going on the battlefield after a stranger warns her of Xena's impending death. Yes, yes, yes...edited smexiness ensues.


**Moment of Truth**

Xena was determined to leave. Gabrielle was determined to make her stay.

"Please. I'm begging you," the bard said and placed her hands firmly on the warrior's shoulders. "Don't go out there."

"Gabrielle," Xena said growing more and more frustrated. "The troops will be attacking at any moment. I must leave now."

"You don't understand," the smaller woman pleaded once more.

"You're right. I don't understand. Now let me by."

As Xena began to leave, the echoes of the 'shadow warrior' overtook in her mind. The nameless, faceless figure told her she must stop Xena from entering this battle – using any and every way imaginable.

"Xena will die," the figure had told the bard three nights before. And for three nights, Gabrielle had tried to talk Xena out of staying on the island.

Gabrielle watched Xena motion for the door handle. As hard as she could, she swung her staff, breaking it across the warrior's back. Gabrielle looked at the fracture in the wood before focusing on Xena's turned back. Slowly, the warrior faced the bard.

"That hurt," Xena scowled.

Gabrielle opened her mouth to say something – anything – but the words refused to come. As Xena turned again to make her exit, the 'shadow warrior's' voice returned again – 'any way imaginable'. Quickly, she reached out to Xena again, spinning the warrior around to face her. When ice blue met emerald green, Gabrielle realized in an instant the time for words was over. She pulled Xena's lips to hers so passionately the contact felt scorching to the tender flesh. A few moments later, her tongue pierced through the warrior's lips, demanding entry.

Xena pulled the amazon off of her, her hands gripping tight to Gabrielle's shoulders.

"You're very determined, aren't you?" Xena replied in anger.

"Please don't be mad," Gabrielle whimpered. "I love you... More than you ever realized."

Gabrielle swept Xena's arms off her shoulders in one fluid movement. Seconds later, her lips and tongue began their assault all over again until the warrior stopped her once more.

"This trick isn't going to work," Xena declared.

"Make love to me," Gabrielle whispered in the warrior's ear. Her hands caressed Xena's thighs as her tongue played with the warrior's earlobe. "If you don't do it now, I know you never will... I don't want to die without ever knowing your touch."

A thousand sensations crashed inside the warrior. Desire. Fear. Passion. Uncertainty... The most prevalent feeling, however, was love... Gods, how she had grown to love this woman unlike anything she experienced in life.

"You don't know what you're doing, Gabrielle. This will change everything," the warrior said in a half-hearted argument.

"You're right," Gabrielle replied, continuing in her seduction. "Yes, Xena, things will change, and it's about damn time, don't you think?"

Gabrielle's hands had found their way under Xena's skirt, teasing her center with the lightest of caresses. Finally, Xena relented. She closed her eyes and gave into the feeling of Gabrielle's body so close to hers, doing things she only dreamed about.

Gabrielle felt the warrior let go of her conflict and pressed on in her pursuit. She captured the warrior's neck with her mouth – her lips, her tongue, her teeth – making the warrior emit a small, almost unnoticeable, moan. She knew Xena wouldn't resist her this time.

"Gods, how I've wanted you," Gabrielle whispered as her hands worked on freeing Xena of her armor. She was adding more fuel to the warriors' already fiery libido.

"I've wanted to touch your body so many times," the bard continued. ". . . How many baths have we shared? Do you know? Do you know how much I wanted to run my soapy hands over every inch of your beautiful bronzed body?"

All Xena could do was whimper with want. The bard had stripped her of her senses. Then she returned them with a heightened awareness Xena had never known. Slowly, she felt her leathers being pulled from her body as she continued to concentrate on the bard's voice.

"Do you know how many times I've watched you practice? How many times I've seen those arm muscles flexing, wondering what power they would have over my flesh?"

Xena's lips took the bard's neck, tugging on the flesh, biting the skin so hard she almost pierced it. When the bard gave a sigh of her own, Xena thought she may faint herself. The smell of vanilla and lilacs lingered in the bard's recently shampooed hair.

She always loved the way Gabrielle smelled after a bath. It was difficult because they usually went to sleep for the night after bathing. Of course, Gabrielle was asleep first. Xena, on the other hand, stayed awake staring at the woman, imagining what it would be like to bury her head in the scent. She spent nights imagining the moment, this moment, that lay before her now. Even her greatest fantasies didn't compare to the sensations on this summer day.

Xena felt Gabrielle slip away. She froze as she watched Gabrielle free her body of her boots, then her skirt, then her tunic. Slowly, and as steadily as her legs would allow, Xena pulled off her own boots. She watched as the bard spread her nakedness across the bed, wooing Xena to her with a crooked finger.

"Do you know what I've really wanted to see, Xena?" the bard asked. She didn't wait for the replied. "What I've really wanted to see is that gorgeous face of yours... I want to know what you look like at the height of passion. I want to see the desire written on your face. I want to see the need for release in your eyes...I want you, Xena... Mind... Body... And Soul."

Xena couldn't hold out any longer she took the bard in her arms, pulling her as close as possible. Her tongue buried its way inside the bard's mouth, filling her. Her fingers kneaded the bard's breast as her palms tickled her nipples. Her skin was scrumptious and she relished it.

"You taste so good, Gabrielle," Xena whispered. "I need to taste more of you, all of you. Will you let me taste all of you, Gabrielle?"

Gabrielle could only nod in agreement. The feel of Xena touching her, caressing her made her heady. She couldn't focus on words or sounds. Just the sensation of touch. Xena's touch - light and feathery across her warm skin.

"So good," Xena whispered as she nibbled on the bard's nipples.

Gabrielle buried her hand deep in the raven mane urging her on – urging her southward. And as the warrior worked down to the bard's navel, she could smell Gabrielle scent. She recognized it. She could always tell when the bard had pleasured herself while she was away from a campsite – the musky yet sweet smell of Gabrielle's desire always made Xena salivate.

She realized neither woman was going to last much longer. But Xena took the time to inhale deeply. She smiled as she thought of Gabrielle's seduction moments before. _Two can play the word game_, she thought smugly.

Xena could feel Gabrielle's tension, her ache for contact to her raging clit. Xena smiled even broader, knowing how bad Gabrielle wanted her.

"I could always tell," Xena whispered, looking up to meet the bard's eyes. "The last time you pleasured yourself was that inn in Athens, wasn't it?" The bard grinned and felt herself blush. "Please, don't be shy," Xena teased. "It's absolutely erotic to know you enjoy touching yourself... Do you know how I could tell?... I could smell you," the warrior said inhaling deeply again. "Your scent filled the room... Just like it fills me now."

Gabrielle's moan was deep and long. Xena was a goner at that point. All her reserve faded away in the sound. Her tongue seized Gabrielle, making the bard's hips rise. The more Xena lapped, the wetter Gabrielle became. The warrior couldn't believe the want that filled the young woman. But then again, she realized she was being hypocritical. Her tights felt the trickle of her own juice.

"Need you," Gabrielle struggled with the words. "Give yourself to me too... Now..."

It took a moment for Xena to comprehend. She was caught up in the feel of Gabrielle's flesh and the taste of her nectar. Soon, however, she straddled Gabrielle. Then, without hesitate, returned to pleasing her bard. Her moan was unexpected as was the quickness of Gabrielle's tongue on her own flesh.

The sights, the sounds, the smells and the tastes. They overwhelmed both women. Gabrielle was close. Xena heard her name being repeated over and over. It was the sweetest sound she thought she'd ever hear. With a final groan and thrust of her hips, Gabrielle reached the pinnacle first and with great force.

Xena expected the young woman to relax, but suddenly she felt the young woman flip her on her back. Gabrielle moved to lay across her, meeting Xena's eyes.

"I'm going to watch you, Xena," she whispered, the spasms still racking through her body.

In an instant, Xena felt Gabrielle's fingers plunge inside her, working a steady rhythm. Xena's hips soon complied – moving and bucking to match the bard's hands. Both women grunted with each thrust, never breaking eye contact. As Xena felt the building desire within her grow stronger and stronger, she gripped Gabrielle's arm. She steadied the bard's hand, allowing only her body to move.

Gabrielle felt herself grow wetter again watching Xena work her arousal into a sexual frenzy with her hand – her hand that Xena now controlled. "Oh Gods, yes," the bard whispered softly. That did it. Xena arched. Xena moaned. And her body began to shake.

"Oh yes, Gabrielle."

The warrior drew out the bard's name as the waves crashed over and over her. She gave the young beauty what she asked for – she kept her eye contact steady and relentless. Gabrielle appreciatively watched the warrior's release.

"I always love the way you say my name," Gabrielle confessed as she snuggled into her warrior's shoulder. "But never as much as this moment."

Xena wrapped her arms tightly around her bard, planting a soft kiss on her forehead. "I love you, Gabrielle. Truly. Deeply."

Gabrielle sighed and felt the warrior drift off. She was about to relax as well when her eyes caught a movement at the foot of the bed. It was the shadow figure.

Gabrielle rose slightly to get a better view.

"Who are you?" she asked.

Slowly, the figure removed the cloak hood. The bard's jaw dropped.

"By the Gods" she whispered.

"Yes, by the Gods. We needed their help," the shadow whispered back. "It was Cupid, in fact...You've changed my life today. Your life as well."

Gabrielle couldn't believe the face. It was her own. A little rounder. The onset of crows feet around the eyes. The strawberry of her hair much, much lighter. But she knew it was her, just the same.

"But how?...Why?..." the younger Gabrielle asked.

"Look at where you're at," she said motioning toward the bed. "Does any of that matter now?"

"I guess not," the bard whispered.

"I will say this... Cupid told me he worked pretty damn hard on the two of us to have Draco take that away. He would have brought me here soon, but 'Dite wouldn't let him so I had to wait."

"How long?"

"Twenty years after her death," Gabrielle said remorseful before starting to smile. "But we changed all that."

"You mean I changed all that," she replied with a sly grin.

The older Gabrielle chuckled. "I forgot how cocky I was... thank you for reminding me."

"You're welcome... or should I say I'm welcome."

Older Gabrielle smiled. "Rest now. We've BOTH earned it."

Gabrielle rested her head back down on Xena's shoulder with closed eyes. But suddenly a loud bang woke her up.

She moved with a start and noticed she had fallen asleep sitting up, in a chair, in a cabin with a roaring fire in the fireplace. She heard stomping and turned to find a cloaked figure pounding snow off their feet by the door... Her door... The door at their cabin in Amphipolis.

"Xena?" Gabrielle asked.

Xena pulled down her cloak hood and grinned.

"Who else?" she asked. "Were you hoping it was that young man in the blacksmith shop? You know the one that's half your age? The one you always ogle?"

"I do not ogle him," Gabrielle said rising to meet her. A sensation of joy and an overwhelming flood of memories came over her. Memories she didn't have until this moment – memories that were true for her in this life.

"You're right. He ogles you. And with good reason," Xena said kissing her on the neck softly. "But he can't have you." She grinned.

Gabrielle felt like a school-girl on solstice. She pulled Xena into a chair and took a quick seat on her lap. She wanted to know if everything she was feeling was real.

"Tell me about our first time!"

Xena laughed. "Right now?! It's late – which reminds me – I told you not to wait up for me... So get to bed," she growled. The bard just grinned. She couldn't intimidate her. Not anymore after all these years together.

"Seriously Xena, I wanna know," Gabrielle said snuggling. More and more memories came back. Her head shot up, although she stayed on the warrior's lap. "The bonding ceremony – Ephiny married us! Five years later mom got sick and we had to run the inn! Right?!"

"Yeah," Xena replied slowly. She touched the bard's forehead. "Are you feeling, okay? You're not coming down with something, are you?"

"I've never felt better," Gabrielle answered kissing Xena softly, pulling her excitement level down. "Please tell me about our first time."

Xena was never a storyteller – not like Gabrielle – but she didn't mind this little game. Actually, it was quite pleasant. For years, Xena didn't think she would have stories to tell that would make her smile. But Gabrielle had changed that fact– and her life – in so many wonderful ways.

"Well... first you hit me with your staff," the warrior said menacingly. Gabrielle blushed and tried to bury her head deeper Xena's shoulder. "You were so determined to keep me out of that battle... when knocking me out didn't work you used your 'feminine charms' to get the better of me."

"That worked, didn't it?" Gabrielle replied proudly.

"Sure did. Didn't see any battles that day?" Xena answered kissing the bard on the top of the head. "Well, unless you count trying to get my armor off," she added, teasing the bard.

"I was in a hurry," Gabrielle replied in her defense. "Besides, I grew very proficient at it in a short period of time."

Xena's fingertips found Gabrielle's chin and she pulled it up so she could see the bard's eyes. "You certainly did."

Xena looked so different and yet so similar. Gray began to streak through the sides of her hair, but her eyes were still as blue, if not bluer than before. Gabrielle realized it wasn't the color that became bolder, but the soul behind it. Xena had grown in many ways. She realized as the retired warrior began to kiss her, she had succeeded in her task. She had her warrior in her arms because she did all the right things that fateful day.

As Xena pulled back, she met the bard's eyes once more. The bard could see the devotion and affection in the pools of blue.

"I love you, Gabrielle," she whispered.

Gabrielle choked back her tears of joy.

"I love you too, Xena. I always have and I know... for a fact... I always will."

**The End**


End file.
